Galette Gusto!

I have been really into desserts lately, especially with all the delicious fruits coming into season! Nectarines only come around once a year for a few months so I jumped at the chance to create a simple, rustic, yet impressive dessert for my clients.

Fussy tarts and pies can be such a pain to form and of course as a chef I always want to create that perfect aesthetic, however I discovered that when time is of the essence, something comparable like a galette can impress just as much but with less of a hassle.

A galette is essentially a free form rustic, generally crusty pastry that can be topped with various sweet or savory toppings. I chose to pair fresh nectarines tossed with vanilla bean and citrus to accompany the delicate yet crisp crust made with cornmeal. The result was delicious and it couldn’t be easier….here’s what I did….

For the Crust:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick cold butter, cubed
2 tbsp. buttermilk
1 egg (for egg wash..this creates that golden brown color)

In a food processor combine all the ingredients, except the egg. Pulse until the butter is small and pea sized, but not too small! (if the butter is fully incorporated it will not achieve the same flaky crispy texture you want)

Pull the dough out of the processor and knead by hand JUST until a ball is formed. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

For the Filling:

6-8 ripe nectarines, sliced
1 vanilla bean, scraped
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup white sugar
1 lemon, juiced & zest
2 tbsp. all purpose flour

In a large bowl toss all ingredients until combined and the nectarine slices are evenly coated.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll out until the dough is about 1/4 inch thick. You may need a bit more flour to prevent sticking for this step…use your noggins people! Transfer the dough to a parchment paper lined sheet tray.

Arrange the nectarines in the center of the dough leaving about a two inch border of crust. This will allow us enough room to fold up the edges and prevent any of that yumminess from creeping out. Fold up the edges of the dough and brush only the crust with your left over egg.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. It may take a few minutes longer depending on your oven, but ultimately all you need is for the nectarines to be partially cooked and the dough to be crisp. Check this but CAREFULLY lifting the galette and checking for browning underneath.

I topped mine with a fresh raspberry whipped cream…It’s super easy….1 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 3 tbsp. powdered sugar and 1/4 cup fresh raspberry puree. Sub out the raspberries for any other berry that you have

Spring Fruit Crostata

Ever crave a pie but reallllly don’t want to go through the trouble of trying to create that perfect pie crust with an uncooperative pie pan? Yeah me too.

A crostata is basically a free form rustic pie. These can be made individual like I have done, or family sized! Either way they are going to be delicious and easier than you may think. I used fresh apricots and cherries for my simple filling, but try these during any season. (Think apples in fall, cranberries in winter & berries in summer)

Tip: Try getting your kids involved in forming the crostata, this way each one can be unique and personalized!

The most important part of the crotata is the crust….heres my take on it:

Dough:

1 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup cornmeal flour
1/4 cup white sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tbsp. cold butter, cubed
1/2 cup cold buttermilk (or ice water if buttermilk isn’t readily available)
Extra flour for rolling out

Filling:

4 fresh apricots, sliced
1 cup cherries, pitted
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 lemon, zested

1.) In a food processor pulse cornmeal, flour, sugar & salt. Add in the cold butter all at once and pulse until the butter is around pea sized. (This helps the butter spread evenly throughout the dough and helps promotes flakiness) Slowly stream in the buttermilk just until the dough starts to form. Turn the dough out onto a cutting board and knead to combine…..Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes. (the colder the better)

2.) In a medium sauté pan on medium heat, saute the apricots and cherries in the butter until they just start to soften. Don’t turn these to mush! Once the fruit has softened just slightly, add in the remaining ingredients. Continue cooking until the sugar has melted and coats the fruit. Let cool.

3.) Separate the pie dough into fourths or even eights depending on how big you want your crostata to be. Using the extra flour, roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch and place on a parchment lined sheet tray.

4.) Take about 2 tbsp. of filling and put into the center of the dough. Fold up the edges of the dough creating an even crust around the crostata. Bake these suckers at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

I plated mine a bit fancier with lemon curd, caramel and a sour cream sauce. These crostatas are perfectly good alone or with some fresh home made whipped cream!

Squash and Pomegranates?!

Farro is one of those grains that is slowly creeping into the restaurant scene. Farro is also underused and often misused. This ancient grain can be used in a multitude of ways and makes a delicious side dish to almost any meal.

I’m going to be totally honest…I headed to the pantry at work looking for arborio rice to make a classic risotto. Turns out I was out of arborio rice and had remembered I bought farro just the other day. I had almost forgotten about this nutty grain entirely!

Turning farro into a risotto is one of my favorite ways to use this delicious morsel. Here’s what I did:

2 cups farro
2 quarts chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1 onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. fresh thyme, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil

2 cups butternut squash, diced & roasted (this is about 1 squash)
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch cinnamon
Salt and Pepper to taste

1.) In a large rondeau or pot, saute the onion, garlic & thyme until the onions just start to get some color on them. (about 5 minutes on medium) Add in the farro and continue sauté until the grain start to smell nutty and fragrant.

2.) Deglaze the pot with white wine. Once the alcohol is cooked out of the wine, while stirring, add in about a cup of the chicken stock at a time. Make sure after each addition the previous amount of stock has been absorbed by the farro. You will start to notice after a few additions of stock and stirring the creaminess the starch from the grain gives off. This is what you want!

3.) Once all the stock is added into the farro; bring the roasted squash, mascarpone, spices & parmesan into pot party! Once these ingredients are mixed in the risotto becomes creamy and rich. Garnish the risotto with the pomegranate seeds. These add a nice textural contrast to the creamy risotto and a touch of acidity and sweetness!

Trick Alert: I bought my pomegranate seeds already out of the fruit. (I’m lazy…but also the quantity needed would have taken me weeks to get out! For this recipe you will only need about 1 or 2 pomegranates) Sorry for the rant…back to the trick. Cut the fruit in half and over a bowl of cold water with the fruit seed side down, smack the back of the fruit with a spoon until the seeds fall into the water. The seeds will sink and the light flesh will float making for a much easier experience!

you’re welcome…:-)

End of Winter!

I am obsessed with brussel sprouts. They seem to be the latest fad popping up in restaurants, but I was in love at first bite! Roasting these tasty morsels is the go to technique for cooking, but I wanted to treat the brussel sprouts differently this time around.

Thinly shaved sprouts (yes raw!), shredded carrots, currants, toasted almonds & goat cheese make this end of the winter salad. The textural differences, the simple vinaigrette and the sweet and savory contrasting flavors make this salad a great start to any meal.

For the salad:

1 lb. brussel sprouts, thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded carrots
2 tbsp. dried currants
2 tbsp. toasted sliced almonds
2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

For the dressing:

1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
1 tbsp. honey
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl toss together the first five ingredients. In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together lemon juice, dijon mustard, honey and salt & pepper. Stream in olive oil until combined. (try to emulsify the olive oil into the mustard, this just creates a creamy homogenous dressing)

Toss the dressing with the salad and let sit for at least 20 minutes before serving. (this helps wilt the crunch of the brussel’s just a bit)

Banana Bread Pancakes

Banana bread is one of my favorite comfort foods. When I smell it baking it immediately reminds me of home. I mean these pancakes take everything you love about banana bread and elevate them to the next level. The velvety smooth glaze over the crispy exterior of the pancake is amazing. Try these out on a Sunday morning; kids and adults will love them.

Pancakes

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Cinnamon and Oats to garnish

In a bowl whisk together oil, sugar, vanilla, milk and mashed bananas. In a separate bowl sift flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix to combine. (Yes this will be a thick pancake batter and will resemble that of a banana bread batter…go figure!)

Vanilla Bean Maple Glaze

1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
2 teaspoon milk
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Feel free to make any flavor glaze you want but make sure you have plenty it goes fast!

BLT Barley Risotto?!

I mean lets be honest anything cooked risotto style is creamy deliciousness! Some of you may not know that “risotto” is actually a technique. The type of starch or grain you use can be varied. Typically, restaurants use arborio or carnarolli rice. These are short grain rices and release the most starch content when constantly stirred. (this process is a true pain in the butt, but so worth it)

My BLT barley risotto takes the classic technique but uses barley instead of the typical rice. Barley is such a great alternative for a few reasons. 1.) Barley still releases starch, 2.) Barley has a great “al dente” texture to it, and 3.) Barley is really good for you with loads of fiber, protein and amino acids! While adding bacon to a healthy grain may seem to negate the whole purpose of using something healthy in the first place….I say everything in moderation!

BLT Barley Risotto

3-4 slices thick cut bacon
1 pint cherry tomatoes (I used heirloom because I’m clearly fancy haha)
1 leek, thinly sliced and cleaned
1 bag of pearl barley
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup white wine
Chicken stock (I ended up using 3 quarts)
Mascarpone Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a rondeau* Render your bacon down until almost perfectly crispy. (you can either remove the bacon at this stage if you prefer a crispy garnish) I leave my bacon in during the cooking process…Here’s why: the chewy lardons really add a textural contrast

Once the bacon is rendered, add in your leeks and garlic. Let these saute for 5 minutes or until the leeks are wilted. (you may also hear the term translucent…aka just par-cook them a bit first) Add in your barley and stir. Let the barley almost toast for a minute then deglaze the pan with white wine. Let the wine cook off or until you no longer get a harsh alcohol smell from it. It will look like this:

Now, this part takes a bit…Gradually work in your chicken stock in 2 cup intervals until the barley absorbs it all. Stir every two minutes to check on it. There is honestly no need to stand there and stir the barley constantly throughout. Once the barley is 99% percent cooked and the most of the liquid is absorbed, add in parmesan cheese and mascarpone cheese. These will attribute to the saltiness and creaminess of the dish. Last thing to do before serving is throw in your halved or whole cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.

*if you don’t have a rondeau or know what the hell it is..it is basically a shallow wide pot with lower sides. I have used large saute pans and even large pots for this. But the wider the service area the better.

Don’t have barley on hand? Try using a longer grain rice or a starchy potato diced small. The cooking times will vary of course! Please guys make this one, you won’t be disappointed!!

Cold Weather Comfort

Hi, I’m Michael. Nicholas’s boyfriend. I have to admit that as a home cook I was quite intimidated to date a professional chef. But I guess my food lives up to Nicholas’s standards because he really appreciates it when I cook. Today in Boston it’s freezing outside and what’s better than a slow cooked warm hardy meal. Nicholas doesn’t really get exicted for soup, it has no substance, but I’m a big soup fan. So a stew it is. My beef barley stew is a healthy mix of vegetables and chuck beef.

Ingredients:

2.5 lbs stew chuck beef
1 cup diced carrots (10 – 12 baby carrots or 3 – 5 regular carrots)
1 cup diced celery (6 – 8 stalks of celery)
1 cup diced mushrooms (about 1 pack)
1.5 cups diced onion (2 medium to large onions)
4 cloves of garlic, fine dice.
3 – 4 small sprigs of fresh thyme
1 small sprig of fresh rosemary
1 – 1.5 cups pearl barley (depends on how much you want)
42 – 48oz (4 – 6 cups) low sodium beef stock
1 teaspoon soy sauce (Pref low sodium soy if you have it)
1 teaspoon worchester sauce
1 Box onion soup mix (2 packets – I used Lipton Onion)
12oz lager or ale (I used local brew, Shipyard from Portland Maine)
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup flour
2 – 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

I like to use up things I have in my fridge, so every recipe I do often is unique for that day. Remember to BYOC or Be Your Own Chef. If you don’t have fresh herbs, used dry or just leave them out. Don’t want to use beer, substitute with more stock. Adjust the salt and pepper to your tastes.

Step 1: Prepping all the vegetables and get them ready.

Step 2: Dice the meat into 1/2″ cubes.

Step 3: Put the flour, 1/2 the salt, 1/2 the pepper on a plate or bowl and mix with your fingers. Then dredge the meat in the flour. You’ll probably have to do this in stages or you’ll get flour everywhere. Shake off the flour from the meat and place aside on another clean plate.

Step 4: Put the vegetable oil in a large stock pot and turn the heat to medium high. I used a heavy duty 8 quart All-Clad stock pot to help with even heating and reduce splattering. When the oil starts to ripple, test with a piece of floured meat. If it starts to sizzle, it’s show time. Cook the meat in batches so you don’t crowd the pan. You want to brown the meat, not steam it. Place the browned meat aside on a plate until you’ve finished all the meat.

Step 5: Turn off the heat. Notice all the brown crispy bits on the bottom of the pan? That’s the good stuff! CAREFULLY pour off the excess oil to a heat proof bowl. Then pour in the beer (and enjoy a nice beer facial… jk, don’t get burned by the steam!) and pour in stock. Turn the heat back on to medium. Using a wooden spoon, scrap the browned bits off the bottom of the pan until the pan is essentially clean. Add in the worchester sauce and soy sauce. Take off heat.

Step 6: In a 5+ quart slow cooker set to 6 – 10 hours depending on your time period (I did 6 hours to make dinner time), add the vegetables, meat, barley, herbs, and onion soup mix. Pour over the heated stock and beer. Be careful not to burn yourself. The stock mixture didn’t cover the vegetables and meat, but they will release water and strink as they cook. You can always add some more stock or water as it cooks. Add the rest of the salt and pepper to taste. You can always add more later if you want.

Step 7: Clean up and let it cook. I stir it every hour to make sure all the barley has access to moisture.

Note: I made this with 2 cups of barley and it was just too much for my tastes, but still very good.

So what’s for dessert? We have some pears and apples left over, so I guess I’ll be making a pear apple crisp.

Enjoy!

-Michael

Elevating Classics

One of my favorite things to do is take classic recipes and put a twist on them. Strawberry Shortcake is just one of the many American staples that I LOVE. The classic style is too plain for me. I really love being creative and different…and maybe a tad dramatic! With that in mind, I created a cornmeal biscuit, macerated berries with lemon zest and whipped vanilla bean mascarpone. Your childhood favorite is still there, it’s just a modern mature approach, which is sure to impress your friends.

P.S. Remember that all my recipes can be altered. Cooking is about having fun and using what you have on hand. This recipe would be great with a different fruit as well!

Cornmeal Biscuits
1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Cornmeal (gives a great texture to your biscuits)
1 1/2 tbsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/8 cup white sugar
1 stick butter (cold! this helps create the layers you know and love)
Buttermilk as needed….( start with 1/2 a cup save some more for brushing on top prior to baking)
Zest of 1 lemon

Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, lemon zest and sugar together in a large bowl. Cut in the stick of butter. (this basically means incorporate butter using a pastry blender or fork until the butter is pea sized.)
Drizzle in the buttermilk until dough starts to form. Remember you can always add but you can’t take away in cooking!

Roll out your biscuit dough onto a floured surface until about 1 inch. Brush with buttermilk and bake at 375 degrees until golden and risen. Let cool.
For my filling I used strawberries and blackberries tossed with lemon zest, juice and white sugar. Feel free to switch up the fruit I used for something more to your liking…e.g. peaches, cherries or plums!

The typical whip cream is replaced by a rich and creamy whipped mascarpone cheese (basically this is an Italian cream cheese) Whip the mascarpone with white OR brown sugar, vanilla beans AND extract and slowly drizzle in some heavy cream to thin out to your desired consistency.

Tis’ the Season!

I am obsessed with any holiday food. Something about the warm spices and bold flavors of seasonal holiday food that really gets me excited! One of my favorite types of cake is gingerbread. It is so intensely flavored, and if made correctly, decadently moist. Growing up I’ve always loved a company called Gingerbread Construction Company’s gingerbread muffins with cream cheese frosting. I have taken a recipe from a friend and molded it to remind of my childhood favorite. Here’s what’s in it…

Ingredients

1 cup Guiness Stout (helps with the rich flavor)
1 cup Molasses
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
2 cups AP Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
2 tablespoons ground ginger (this seems like a lot but its necessary!)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (you can used freshly grated)
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup Dark Brown Sugar
1 cup Light Brown Sugar
3/4 cup Vegetable Oil

Step 1:
Boil molasses and Guiness for one minute, take off heat and whisk in the baking soda. Cool.

Step 2:
In a separate bowl whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and spices. Set aside.

Step 3:
Whisk together sugar, oil and eggs. Slowly add in the room temperature molasses/stout mixture. Fold the dry ingredients to the wet. Bake at 350 degrees until done.

I topped mine with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting and Homemade Candied Ginger!

Frosting

1 8 oz. Package Cream Cheese Frosting, softened
1 Stick Butter, softened
1 Tablespoon Orange Zest
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Powdered Sugar To Taste (Some like it sweeter, I like the tang of the cream cheese to be in tact)

Beat all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Top with candied ginger or any other garnish you may want…Try candied orange peel or sprinkle with cinnamon

No Graham Flour? No Problem!

I recently was trying to put a fun twist on a S’more. My end result was a graham cracker cupcake, salted dark chocolate mousse filling and a toasted marshmallow meringue garnished with crushed graham crumbs and chocolate ganache.

While the cupcake as a whole was a success, the real star for me was the cupcake alone…It has a perfect graham cracker flavor with the soft texture of a cake. I highly suggest you try this out, even if just for the cake….

Graham Cracker Cupcake

1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp corn starch
1 cup finely ground honey graham crackers
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 tbsp honey
1/2 cup buttermilk

This link will take you to the finished product https://scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1230006_770105626648_1716084835_n.jpg

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